47-55.1 1953 Chevrolet 5 window - Narrowed Frame

[Mr Chevrolet]

Hello, I recently purchased a 53' Chev 5 window pick up. The truck is really solid and I'm trying to plan my design. Initially I was going to put it on an S10 chassis (which I have) but after seeing the truck, I think I might want to keep it on the stock frame. I'm now thinking of a bolt in Mustang 2 front crossmember and possibly narrowing the rear frame to accommodate a larger rear tire. Has anyone on here narrowed the stock frame? I don't want to put a rear clip in it, just want to modify the original and put a narrowed rear end in. I'm thinking like a 15" x 12" wide rim. The truck has to sit low as well. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[dsraven]

i suggest to get a plan of what you want the truck to look like and then decide how you will get there. it is always good to have the assembly manual for projects because it will have frame drawings with dimensions and also show how the truck was put together originally, where welds are etc. if you decide to use the original frame it is wise to get the body off and do a complete check over of the frame, you never know what it has gone through in it's lifetime so good to do a check for straight, square and sag as well as loose rivets, rust and rot.
if you plan to do an s10 swap check out joedoh's threads or contact him through private messages here. he makes laser cut kits to do the swap and has done so many himself he could do it with his eyes closed. lots of help with what you need.
I have seen a lot of guys compartmentalize stuff as they build things and the end result could be better if they just stand back and look at what they are doing. some will lop off the front of the frame and weld in a clip from another vehicle. usually a camaro or nova. yes, it was a good suspension back in the day when it was built but it needs a complete rebuild and then when done it has old technology and usually the brakes and other components get upgraded to be more like todays standards. some will also cut the rear frame off and install a big C notch to get the truck in the weeds. what they don't consider is that the old frame has really been chopped off front and rear so the only actual section left is the part under the cab. they would have been just as well off to simply build a new frame from the dimensional drawings in the assembly manual. it could be made wider or narrower as needed for the project.
anyway, welcome to the site, lots of good info here, just sift through it all and come up with a plan. what will you use the truck for, what kinda power will you use, what kinda trans do you want, what is the plan for brakes, what stance do you crave? build the frame around those needs. I have installed MII front ends before and, although they are fine, usually guys upgrade the kits so much it becomes quite expensive. being in Canada stuff is even more expensive due to the dollar difference and shipping with customs involved. you might think about looking at something home grown, like Canadian Hotrods in BC or Welders Series in Ontario.
dont forget to start with a budget in mind, then add 50 percent for overage, haha.

[dsraven]

forgot to ask, what do you have for a shop to work in, storage for all the parts once the truck is taken apart, and also skills and tools?
post up a few pics of the truck, when you get a minute,so we can see what you have to start with.

[dsraven]

https://www.canadianhotrodsinc.com/f...8aAv6pEALw_wcB

https://welderseries.com/?gclid=Cj0K...MaAlSDEALw_wcB

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1947-1954-Ch...edirect=mobile

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...esto/index.htm

https://www.gm.com/heritage?evar25=gmhc_redirect

canadian hotrods build really nice frames from laser cut steel and with corvette underpinnings. brake and fuel lines are hidden inside the boxed frames as well as battery cables etc. they use rebuilt onsite corvette stuff. worth a look anyway.
welders series has all kinds of kits for suspension etc ans well as handy brackets, dom tubing, joint kits and bushings etc. again, worth a look
the old car manuals page has info on a bunch of old cars. some pages may be missing from your specific year but can likely be gleaned from other years of the same model series. you likely already know but the AD (advanced design) trucks changed in 54 and the early 55 models so they had a one piece windshield, as well as a few other subtle differences.
the heritage center will possibly be able to give you info on your specific truck specs from the factory build, if you're interested in that stuff.

[mongocanfly]

I'm gonna throw in my 2cents worth.
Plan on a back half.. you'll be way ahead of the game..
especially if your gonna run big tires and be low
To be able to narrow the stock frame enough for those tires ,your gonna have to chop it up pretty good anyway, so why not use all new stuff
Any reason why you dont want to back half it?

[joedoh]

that welders series stuff dsraven posted is a real bargain. my brother is doing a MII on his metro delivery van and its cheaper to buy the MII from welderseries than it would be to modify the MII crossmember he got for next to nothing. ds is also right that the price you budget for and the final price are usually two different things. lots of guys with experience MII here, so you found the right place to ask.

mongo is right too, buying a prefab rear clip for running 15x14 will be 1/10th the hassle of building your own. I was just at an auction with a 56 on 15x14, it was a rectangle tube back half and just a jumble of angles and wasnt square. chris alston makes a rear clip with a 4 link for ~2k.

here is that 56. i left before it hammered down but i heard it went over 12k. it was a 56, titled as a 59, with a gmc vin tag. too much for me even considering the price.

[Mr Chevrolet]

Thanks for all the replies. I have a shop, equipment and skills. I’ve built a few cars, mostly higher end higher dollar vehicles. I wanted this to be a simple but really cool build. Low stance with a good size rear tire, roots blown small block (under hood if possible) with a 4 speed. Probably gonna leave it with patina. Somewhat lower dollar (relatively speaking!). I don’t want it to turn into a 10 year build. I have an s10 chassis I can put it on and I haven’t totally ruled that out yet. Just looking at all options at this point. There is lots out there for these trucks now which is great.

[mr48chev]

You can gain a couple of inches above the axle by taking out the rear crossmember and cutting a slight notch right behind the bed mount tabs in front of where the old shock mounts were. Then pull the back rails in until they are straight and parallell.

It looks like it is right at 43.875 wide there now. If you got it narrowed to around 40 there that would give you room for 5 inch tubs. You have room for 3 inch tubs now with the stock frame. Maybe a bit less at the back where the frame gets wider.

[Mr Chevrolet]

That's a real good idea as well. Where can I find a copy of that drawing of the frame dimensions?

[mongocanfly]

Assembly manual...its worth having regardless of your modifications
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-P...edirect=mobile

[Mr Chevrolet]

Yes, thank you

[leegreen]

this might be useful as well, dimensions to check if frame is straight:

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...51ctsm0202.htm

[joedoh]

use the rear section of the s10 frame. it kicks up so you can lower it in the weeds on tall tires, and the frame width is already about 40". you will have a narrow rearend with modern leafs already installed. MII the front and zoom zoom zoom.


just a thought.

[Mr Chevrolet]

Brings me back to the S10 swap!